Why the Ten Commandments?

1. You shall have no other gods but Me This is not limited to worshipping the gods of other faiths. Do we place other things in our lives before our duties to God, such as money, work, politics, etc.? Do we obey and trust God, or our own emotions, more? Do we bring others to know and love the one true God?

2. You shall not make for yourself any idol Again, this is not a limited meaning. Instead of growing into the likeness of Christ, are we trying to mold Him into our image? God is the same forever (Hebrews 1:12, 13:1) so if we try to mold Him into our own image, we're creating a false god.

3. You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain The Name of God was, and is, considered so sacred by observant Jews that it is not pronounced and not fully written out (i.e. G_d). This is to avoid even inadvertently taking His Name in vain. We would not appreciate our names being abused as curses, and God doesn't either!

4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy The Sabbath is not about sleeping in, but resting from work to worship and give thanks to God. Our worship should not be limited to just Sundays (or Saturdays). We should set aside time daily for prayer & Bible reading, as well as praying and fellowshipping with others often. Christianity is not a "solitary path" religion. (Hebrews 10:25)

5. Honor your mother and your father Do we give our parents and other relatives respect, even if we don't agree with them? Do we honor others in authority with respect? (Romans 13:1-7; I Peter 2:13-17) and pray for them? (I Timothy 2:1-6)

6. You shall not murder Do we respect all human life as others created in God's image? (Genesis 1:27) who Christ died for? (John 3:16) Do we harbor any hatred in our hearts? (Matthew 5:21-22, I John 4:20-21) Are we kind to all of God's creatures? (Deuteronomy 22:1-14, Proverbs 12:10)

7. You shall not commit adultery Do we use our sexuality the way God intended, or only for our own gratification? Do we lust after others? (Matthew 5:27-2) Do we commit adultery in a spiritual sense? (Hosea 10:1-10, Revelation 18:1-10)

8. You shall not steal Not only should we refuse to steal other peoples' possessions, we should also not deprive anyone of their freedom, right to worship, or anything else precious to them.

9. You shall not be a false witness We should seek the truth at all times. Lies and deception are very displeasing to God. Living honestly and not misleading others is how we should live. (Romans 13:13, Hebrews 13:1)

10. You shall not covet Rather than being envious or greedy, we should be grateful for what we have. Covetiousness can keep us out of heaven. (I Corinthians 6:10)

After reading this, do any of you still feel the Ten Commandments are irrelevant today? If so, please try to apply these principles to your own life. You will notice a difference, for the better. Remember, God is only a prayer away and He will help you. May you be blessed!